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Data on Chamorro Weavers

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 26 November 2013

A few weeks ago, I was taken by a posting on the FaceBook page "Hinasso," with a painting of an elder Chamorro lady in the beginning process of weaving what appears to be half a branch of coconut stalk. The caption read, "Håfa I hinasson-miyu nu ini?" (What are your thoughts on this?)

In my home office I have a painting of Master Pandanus Weaver Tan Elena Hernandez Cruz Benavente (difunta) by Ron Castro that I scored some time ago from the once Fujita Hotel that had liquidation sale in Tumon. Tan Elena was a very resilient Chamorro woman who passed away at the age of 99; a few months short of reaching 100.

There are several articles you can you can find on weaving related to Guam and the Mariana Islands by searching so I won't go into any details that those sources provide. However, I will provide some historic data details of what I have come across so far with regards to the U.S. Census.

1940 Census

It just so happens that I was in the process of transcribing the 1940 Census covering the municipality of Agat and observed that there were quite a bit of women with a listed occupation as "Aggag weaver." The population ratio compared to other municipalities seemed rather high for Agat. So I posted my comments specific to Agat and the 1940 Census:

• Agat was comprised of one town and six barrios.
• Total population = 1,068
• Total Akgag Weavers = 53 or 5% of population
• All weavers were female
• 1 Widow, 36 Married, 16 Single
• Average age of weaver 34
• Oldest age of weaver 64
• Youngest age of weaver 14

I'm not quite sure what this data is trying to tell me, and without having to complete an entire transcription of the 1940 Census will be premature to conclude; but was worth highlighting the facts and until I complete the transcription.

1930 Census

Surprisingly, in the 1930 Census only 18 people had a "weaver" occupation: 6 Basket weavers and 12 weavers. I am not quite sure why this number is significantly lower than the 1940 and 1920 Census. Perhaps the enumerators were given special instructions? IDK...

• 17 weavers were female and there was only one male.
• Average Age: 51
• Oldest: 73
• Youngest: 21
• Weavers By Village:
  • Agana City: 8
  • Asan: 4
  • Barrigada: 2
  • Merizo Town: 2
  • Sumay Town: 1
  • Umatac Barrio: 1

*Agat did not have any people recorded with the occupation of weaver.

1920 Census

In the entire 1920 Census there were 48 people that had the word "weaver" as their occupation: 43 weavers, 2 weavers of mats, and 3 weaving teachers.

• 43 females: 39 weavers, 2 weavers of mats, and 2 weaving teachers
• 5 males: 4 weavers and 1 weaving teacher
• Average Age: 37
• Oldest: 66
• Youngest: 13
• Weavers By Village:
  • Agana City: 6
  • Agat Town: 23
  • Merizo: 13
  • Piti: 1
  • Tepungan: 2
  • Umatac: 4

Some Links About Weaving

 

http://guampedia.com/weaving/

http://guampedia.com/floren-paulino/

http://guampedia.com/elena-cruz-benavente/

http://guampedia.com/lucia-fernandez-torres/

http://books.google.com/books?id=9r0a2ww8KLcC&;pg=PA139&lpg=PA139&dq=chamorro+weaver&source=bl&ots=6j8ZIlgwKk&sig=fNoujVyTzxc0zuNO6XTvrxNLOmU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EmqKUvOSEYOzsASn0YCoAQ&ved=0CCsQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=chamorro%20weaver&f=false

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&;rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CC4QFjABOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmnrivera1.com%2FCoconut_Weaving_Presentation-Rivera.pdf&ei=EmqKUvOSEYOzsASn0YCoAQ&usg=AFQjCNG5HWzXtJzgadVnAA3rLq7ppZpVxw&sig2=Vx7deXUIKgTokTo5N9mrhw&bvm=bv.56643336,d.cWc&cad=rja

Statistical Snapshot

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 20 November 2013

Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project™

Statistical Snapshot of Database

As of November 17, 2013

 

 

Database Update 17 Nov 2013

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 16 November 2013

The database has been updated and has grown from 305,363 to 306,167 names.

1910 Census

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 13 November 2013

 

Although the first official U.S. Census that included Guam was held in 1920, there were Chamorro people included in the 1910 through other methods. Researchers should be cognizant of this, the possibility of names taking on a new form of spelling (possibly forever). Here are three samples of the 1910 Census.

 

Military on Guam

For Guam in particular, Chamorro people serving the U.S. military and some of their families (not all) were included.

Although some of the information in this pictured sampling is not clear I have identified the following people:

 

James H. Underwood

m. Ana [Pangelinan Martinez] Underwood

--Mary E. Underwood

--Rita E. Underwood

 

Fabian de la Cruz

m. Encarnacion [Delgado Pereira] Cruz

--Carlos Cruz

 

Maximo [Terlaje] Aflleje (single)

Joaquin Cruz (single)

Jesus F. Santos (married)

Antonio S[antos] Aflague (single)

Pedro Quitugua (married)

Vicente Taimanglo (single)

Enrique Sablan (single)

Antonio C. Salas (married)

Jose M. Santos (single)

Joaquin Aflleje (single)

 

Migration to Honolulu, Hawaii

Pedro [Aguon]

m. Mary Aguon

--Ren Aguon

--Florence Aguon

--Mary Aguon

--Elsie Aguon

--Lusianna Aguon

--Miriam Aguon

 

(Genealogy Note/Tip: Aguon was spelled “Augon” by the transcriber. This may or may not have affected the future recording and spelling of their family surname. Researchers just need to cognizant that names have a way of morphing through phonetic or translational errors.)

 

Migration to Stockton, California

 
Ben Santos (single)

Joe [Mendiola] (single)

Bob Santos